Transferring apparatus and remote control system

ABSTRACT

Communicating apparatus to be provided between an intermediate line and transmission lines to establish data communications, the intermediate line and the transmission lines having in combination data pass therethrough, the transmission lines including first line and second line  1  and  2 , is designed to select the transmission line from among the first and second lines  1  and  2  based on detecting the data passing through each of the first and second lines  1  and  2  so as to transmit data without collision.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a communicating apparatus forestablishing communications with the help of an intermediate line suchas the internet and ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network), and moreparticularly to a remote control system for ensuring communications toallow a controller in a remote area to control a targeted apparatus viathe intermediate line.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

The conventional remote control system of this type is shown in FIG. 7as comprising transmission lines provided in a local area (referred tosimply as “local transmission lines”) 1 b and 2 b, transmission linesprovided in a remote area (referred to simply as “remote transmissionlines”) 1 a and 2 a, an intermediate line 3 provided between the localarea and the remote area, a communicating apparatus (referred to simplyas “local communicating apparatus”) 10 b provided between the localtransmission lines 1 b and 2 b and the intermediate line 3, acommunicating apparatus (referred to simply as “remote communicatingapparatus”) 10 a provided between the intermediate line 3 and the remotetransmission lines 1 a and 2 a, a controller (referred to simply as“local controller”) 20 b connected to the local communicating apparatus10 b via the local transmission lines 1 b and 2 b, a controller(referred to simply as “remote controller”) 20 a connected to the remotecommunicating apparatus 10 a via the remote transmission lines 1 a and 2a, a watching system apparatus (referred to simply as “targetedapparatus”) 30 connected to the local communicating unit 10 b via thelocal transmission lines 1 b and 2 b, a plurality of cameras 31, adetecting unit 32 having sensors for detecting objects such asintruders.

Here, the intermediate line 3 is indicative of a network such as, forexample, ISDN (Integrated Service Digital Network), the intermediateline having terminals to be connected in each of the remote area and thelocal area.

The local transmission lines include a receiving line (indicative of afirst line of the local transmission lines) 1 b and a transmitting line(indicative of a second line of the local transmission lines) 2 b. Theremote transmission lines include a receiving line (indicative of afirst line of the remote transmission lines) 1 a and a transmitting line(indicative of a second line of the remote transmission lines) 2 a. Eachof the local transmission lines and the remote transmission lines mayhave, for example, unbalanced type signal pass therethrough. The term“receiving line” herein described is intended to indicate a line whichallows the controller to receive the data transmitted by the targetedapparatus 30. The term “transmitting line” herein described is intendedto indicate a line which allows the controller to transmit the data tothe targeted apparatus 30.

The conventional communicating apparatus 10 of this type is shown inFIG. 8 as comprising interface means 101 for transmitting and receivingthe data via the intermediate line, multiplexer/demultiplexer 102 formultiplexing video data, audio data, and control data into data streamto be outputted to the interface means 101 and for demultiplexing thedata stream received by the interface means 101 via the intermediateline into the video data, the audio data, and the control data,transmission controlling means 103 having the transmitting means 112transmit the data via the second line and having the receiving means 111receive the data via the first line, receiving means 111 for receivingthe data via the first line, and transmitting means 112 for transmittingthe data via the second line. The transmission controlling means 103 hasbuffer memory 115 for buffering the data received by the receiving means111 and buffer memory 116 for buffering the data to be transmitted viathe second line.

The following description will now be directed to the process of theremote controller 20 a forming part of the conventional remote controlsystem with reference to FIG. 8. The control signal is initiallytransmitted by the remote controller 20 a to the remote communicatingapparatus 10 a via the transmitting line 1 a of the remote transmissionlines. The control signal transmitted by the remote controller 20 a isthen received by the remote communicating apparatus 10 a before thecontrol signal is transmitted by the remote communicating apparatus 10 ato the local communicating apparatus 10 b. The control signaltransmitted by the remote communicating apparatus 10 a is then receivedby the local communicating apparatus 10 b before the control signal istransmitted by the communicating apparatus 10 b to the targetedapparatus 30 via transmitting line 2 b of the local transmissions lines.On the other hand, the response signal with respect to the controlsignal is transmitted by the targeted apparatus 30 to the localcommunicating apparatus 10 b via the receiving line of the transmissionline 1 b. The response signal transmitted by the targeted apparatus 30is received by the local communicating apparatus 10 b before theresponse signal transmitted by the targeted apparatus 30 is transmit bythe local communicating apparatus 10 b to the remote communicatingapparatus 10 a. The response signal transmitted by the remotecommunicating apparatus 10 b is then received by the remotecommunicating apparatus 10 a before the response signal transmitted bythe communicating apparatus 10 a is finally transmitted by the remotecommunicating apparatus 10 a to the remote controller 20 a via thereceiving line of the transmission lines.

The following description will now be directed to the process of thelocal controller 20 b forming part of the conventional remote controlsystem. The control signal is initially transmitted by the localcontroller 20 b to the targeted apparatus 30 via the transmitting line 2b of the remote transmission lines. On the other hand, the responsesignal with respect to the control signal received by the targetedapparatus 30 is then transmitted by the targeted apparatus 30 to thelocal controller 20 b via the receiving line 1 b of the transmissionline.

From the foregoing description, it will be understood that theconventional remote control system allows one of the remote controller20 a and the local controller 20 b to control the targeted apparatus 30.

The conventional remote control system thus constructed in the aboveencounters such a problem that the targeted apparatus is irregularlycontrolled by each of the remote controller and the local controllerafter the actual execution state with respect to the targeted apparatusis in disagreement with the execution state finally stored by the remotecontroller with respect to the targeted apparatus due to the fact thatthe control data transmitted by one of the remote controller and thelocal controller to the targeted apparatus cannot be received by theother of the remote controller and the local controller, this leading tothe fact that the targeted apparatus is out of control. Consequently,the control data is transmitted by the remote controller 20 a to thetargeted apparatus 30 after the judgment is made by the remotecontroller 20 a on whether or not the targeted apparatus 30 iscontrolled by the local controller 20 b. Although the intruder, forexample, was detected by the targeted apparatus, the camera cannot becontrolled immediately by the remote controller.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide acommunicating apparatus and a remote control system which can establishdata communications to allow the remote controller to control thetargeted apparatus with the help of an intermediate line.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a communicatingapparatus and a remote control system which can allow each of the localcontroller and the remote controller to control the targeted apparatus.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with a first aspect of the communicating apparatusaccording to the present invention, there is provided a communicatingapparatus to be provided between an intermediate line and transmissionlines to establish data communications, the intermediate line and thetransmission lines having in combination data pass therethrough, thetransmission lines including first line and second line, comprising:first receiving means for receiving the data via the first line; secondreceiving means for receiving the data via the second line; interfacemeans for transmitting via the intermediate line the data received bythe first receiving means via the first line and the data received bythe second receiving means via the second line, and for receiving thedata transmitted by an other communicating apparatus via theintermediate lines; first transmitting means for transmitting via thesecond line the data transmitted via a first receiving means of theother communicating apparatus; first detecting means for detecting thedata transmitted via the second line; first controlling means forswitching between an operative state and an inoperative state of thefirst transmitting means based on the data detected by the firstdetecting means; second transmitting means for transmitting via thefirst line the data transmitted via a second receiving means of theother communicating apparatus; second detecting means for detecting thedata transmitted via the second line; and second controlling means forswitching between an operative state and an inoperative state of thesecond transmitting means based on the data detected by the seconddetecting means. The communicating apparatus according to the presentinvention thus constructed as previously mentioned can allow the remotecontroller in the remote area to control the targeted apparatus in thelocal area via the intermediate line, and allow each of the remotecontroller in the remote area and the local controller in the local areato control the targeted apparatus.

In accordance with a another aspect of the remote control systemaccording to the present invention, there is provided a remote controlsystem for ensuring data communications via three different linesincluding remote transmission lines provided in a remote area, localtransmission lines provided in a local area, and intermediate lineprovided between the local area and the remote area, each of the remotetransmission lines and the local transmission lines including first lineand second line, the three different lines having in combination datapass therethrough, comprises: local communicating apparatus providedbetween the intermediate line and the local transmission lines, thelocal communicating apparatus being constituted by a communicatingapparatus described in claim 1; remote communicating apparatus providedbetween the intermediate line and the remote transmission lines, theremote communicating apparatus being constituted by a communicatingapparatus described in claim 1; targeted apparatus connected to thelocal communicating apparatus via the local transmissions lines; localcontroller for controlling the targeted apparatus, the local controllerbeing connected to both the local communicating apparatus and thetargeted apparatus via the local transmissions lines; and remotecontroller for controlling the targeted apparatus, the remote controllerbeing connected to the remote communicating apparatus via the remotetransmissions lines; wherein the local controller having first receivingmeans for receiving the data via the first line of the localtransmission lines, second receiving means for receiving the data viathe second line of the local transmission lines, transmitting means fortransmitting the data via the second line of the local transmissionlines, detecting means for detecting the data transmitted via the secondline, and controlling means for controlling the transmitting means insuch a manner that the transmitting means is selectively switchedbetween under the operative state and under the inoperative state basedon the data detected by the detecting means; and the remote controllerhaving first receiving means for receiving the data via the second lineof the remote transmission lines, second receiving means for receivingthe data via the first line of the remote transmission lines,transmitting means for transmitting the data via the second line of theremote transmission lines, detecting means for detecting the datatransmitted via the second line, and controlling means for controllingthe first transmitting means in such a manner that the transmittingmeans is selectively switched between under the operative state andunder the inoperative state based on the data detected by the detectingmeans. The remote control system according to the present invention thusconstructed as previously mentioned can allow the remote controller inthe remote area to control the targeted apparatus via the intermediateline, and allow each of the remote controller in the remote area and thelocal controller in the local area to control the targeted apparatus.

In the remote control system according to the present invention, aplurality of remote communicating apparatuses, a plurality of remotecontrollers, and a plurality of remote transmission lines isrespectively provided in a plurality of remote areas, each of the remotecontrollers being operative to controlling the targeted apparatus 30 viathe remote communicating apparatus in each of the remote areas. Theremote control system according to the present invention thusconstructed as previously mentioned can allow each of the remotecontrollers in the remote areas to control the targeted apparatus.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The features and advantages of the present invention will become moreapparent from the following detailed description when considered inconnection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the embodiment of the remote control systemaccording to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the embodiment of the communicatingapparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the controller forming part of the remotecontrol system according to the present invention shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram indicative of the process of the remotecontrol system according to the present invention shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram indicative of the process of the remotecontrol system according to the present invention shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of the process of the communicating apparatusshown in FIG.2;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of the conventional remote control system; and

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of the conventional communicating apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The embodiments of the communicating apparatus and the remote controlsystem according to the present invention will now be described indetail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the embodiment of the remote control systemaccording to the present invention.

The remote control system is shown in FIG. 1 to comprise transmissionlines 1 b and 2 b provided in a local area (referred to simply as “localtransmission lines”), transmission lines 1 a and 2 a provided in aremote area (referred to simply as “remote transmission lines”),intermediate line 3 provided between the local area and the remote area,a communicating apparatus 10 b provided between the local transmissionlines 1 b and 2 b and the intermediate line 3 (referred to simply as“local communicating apparatus”), a communicating apparatus 10 a to beprovided between the intermediate line 3 and the remote transmissionlines 1 a and 2 a (referred to simply as “remote communicatingapparatus”), a controller 20 b electrically connected to the localcommunicating apparatus 10 b via the local transmission lines 1 b and 2b (referred to simply as “local controller”), a controller 20 aelectrically connected to the remote communicating apparatus 10 a viathe remote transmission lines 1 a and 2 a (referred to simply as “remotecontroller”), a surveillance apparatus 30 connected to the localcommunicating unit 10 b via the local transmission lines 1 b and 2 b(referred to simply as “targeted apparatus”), a plurality of cameras 31connected to the targeted apparatus, a detecting unit 32 having sensorsfor detecting objects such as intruders.

Here, the intermediate line 3 is indicative of a network such as, forexample, ISDN (Integrated Service Digital Network), the localcommunicating apparatus in the local area being connected to the remotecommunicating apparatus in the remote area via the intermediate line.

The local transmission lines include a receiving line 1 b (indicative ofa first line of the local transmission lines) and a transmitting line 2b (indicative of a second line of the local transmission lines), theremote transmission lines including a transmitting line 1 a (indicativeof a first line of the remote transmission lines) and a receiving line 2a (indicative of a second line of the transmission lines). Each of thelocal transmission lines and the remote transmission lines may have thedata indicative of unbalanced type signal pass therethrough. The term“receiving line” herein described is intended to indicate a line whichhas each of the local controller and the remote controller receive thedata transmitted by the targeted apparatus 30. The term “transmittingline” herein described is intended to indicate a line which has each ofthe local controller and the remote controller transmit the data to thetargeted apparatus 30.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the embodiment of the communicatingapparatus according to the present invention. The communicatingapparatus 10 is shown in FIG. 2 to comprise first receiving means 111for receiving the data via the first line, second receiving means 121for receiving the data via the second line, interface means 101 fortransmitting via the intermediate line the data received by each of thefirst receiving means 111 and the second receiving means 121 and forreceiving the data via the intermediate lines,multiplexing/demultiplexing means (indicative of multiplexing means anddemultiplexing means) 102 for multiplexing the data containing videoinformation, the data containing audio information, and the datacontaining control information into the data stream to be outputted tothe interface means 101, and for demultiplexing the data stream into thedata containing the video information, the data containing the audioinformation, and the data containing the control information afterreceiving the data stream via the intermediate line, first transmittingmeans 112 for transmitting via the second line the data received by theinterface means 101 via the intermediate line, first detecting means 113for detecting the data transmitted via the second line, firstcontrolling means 114 for controlling the first transmitting means 112in such a manner that the first transmitting means 112 is selectivelyswitched between under the operative state and the inoperative statebased on the data detected by the first detecting means 113, secondtransmitting means 122 for transmitting via the first line the datareceived by the interface means 101 via the intermediate line, seconddetecting means 123 for detecting the data transmitted via the secondline, second controlling means 124 for controlling the secondtransmitting means 122 in such a manner that the second transmittingmeans 112 is selectively switched between under the operative state andthe inoperative state based on the data detected by the second detectingmeans 123, buffer memory 115 for buffering the data received by thefirst receiving means 111, buffer memory 116 for buffering data receivedby the second receiving means 121, buffer memory 125 for buffering thedata to be transmitted via the intermediate line, and buffer memory 126for buffering the data to be transmitted via the intermediate line.

The transmission controlling means 103 forming one of the localcommunicating apparatus and the remote communicating apparatus isoperative to control the first transmitting means 112 to transmit viathe second line the data received via the first line by the other of thelocal communicating apparatus and the remote communicating apparatus.The transmission controlling means 103 forming one of the localcommunicating apparatus and the remote communicating apparatus isoperative to control the first transmitting means 112 to transmit viathe first line the data received via the second line by the other of thelocal communicating apparatus and the remote communicating apparatus.The interface means 101 forming one of the local communicating apparatus20 b and the remote communicating apparatus 20 a is operative totransmit the data containing the identification information indicativeof the difference between the data transmitted by the first receivingmeans 111 via the first line and the data transmitted by the secondreceiving means 121 via the second line to the other of the localcommunicating apparatus 20 b and the remote communicating apparatus 20a. The difference information indicative of the difference between thedata transmitted by the first receiving means 111 via the first line andthe data transmitted by the second receiving means 121 via the secondline may be included, for example, the header information of the data tobe transmitted by one of the local communicating apparatus 20 b and theremote communicating apparatus 20 a, the difference information beingthen transmitted to the transmission controlling means 103 of the otherof the local communicating apparatus 20 b and the remote communicatingapparatus 20 a.

The transmission controlling means 103 is controlled to ensure that thedata transmitted by one of the remote communicating apparatus and thelocal communicating apparatus via the intermediate line is preventedfrom being sent back by the interface means 101 of the other of theremote communicating apparatus 10 a and local communicating apparatus 10b via the intermediate line.

Each of the first and second detecting means 113 and 123 is constitutedby, for example, the standard logic integrated circuit such as amonostable multivibrator, the pulse signal being outputted by themonostable multivibrator during the time interval in which the data isdetected. Each of the first and second transmitting means 112 and 122 isadapted to selectively assume two execution states including anoperative state indicative of “enable” and an inoperative stateindicative of “disable”. Each of the first and second controlling means114 and 124 forming part of the transmission controlling means 103 isoperative to control the two execution states of each of the first andsecond transmitting means 112 and 122 based on the pulse signaloutputted by each of the first and second detecting means 113 and 123.The operative state allows each of the first and second transmittingmeans 112 and 112 to transmit the data, the operative state allowingeach of the first and second transmitting means 112 and 122 not totransmit the data. Each of the first and second transmitting means 112and 122 is referred to as the transmitting data driver.

The local communicating apparatus 10 b forming part of the remotecontrol system shown in FIG. 2 is operative to transmit the data via theintermediate line 3 after receiving the data transmitted by the localcontroller 20 b via the transmitting line of the local transmissionlines 2 b in the additional reception step. The remote communicatingapparatus 10 a is operative to receive the data transmitted by the localcommunicating apparatus 10 b before transmitting the data via thetransmitting line of the remote transmission lines 1 a in the additionaltransmission step. The local communicating apparatus 10 b is operativeto transmit the data via the intermediate line 3 after receiving thedata transmitted by the targeted apparatus 30 via the receiving line ofthe local transmission lines 1 b. The remote communicating apparatus 10a is operative to receive the data transmitted by the localcommunicating apparatus 10 b before transmitting the data via thereceiving line of the remote transmission lines 2 a. The remotecommunicating apparatus 10 a is operative to receive via thetransmitting line of the remote transmission lines 1 a the datatransmitted by the remote controller 20 a before transmitting the datavia the intermediate line 3, the local communicating apparatus 10 bbeing operative to receive the data transmitted by the remotecommunicating apparatus 10 a before transmitting via the transmittingline of the local transmission lines 2 b.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the controller 20 forming part of theremote control system according to the present invention. The controller20 is shown in FIG. 3 to comprise a console unit 204 for operating thetargeted apparatus, a display unit 205 for displaying the informationassociated with the received data, a first receiving means 211 forreceiving the data via the receiving line 1 b and 2 a (shown in FIG. 1),a second receiving means 221 for receiving the data via the transmittingline 1 a and 2 b (shown in FIG. 1), a transmitting means 212 fortransmitting the data via the transmitting line, detecting means 213 fordetecting the data transmitted via the second line, and a transmissioncontrolling means 203 for controlling the transmitting means 212 in sucha manner that the transmitting means 212 is selectively switched betweenunder the operative state and the inoperative state based on the datadetected by the detecting means 213, The transmission controlling means203 comprises a controlling means 214 for controlling the executionstates of the transmitting means 212 after judging whether or not thedata is detected by the detecting means 213, a buffer memory 215 forbuffering the data received by the first receiving means 211, a buffermemory 216 for buffering the data received by the second receiving means221, a buffer memory 225 for buffering the data to be transmit via thetransmitting line.

FIG. 4 shows a sequence diagram of the embodiment of the process of theremote control system according to the present invention.

The following description will now be directed to the process of theremote controller forming part of the remote control system according tothe present invention with reference to FIG. 4. The data indicative of a“move first camera left” instruction, for example, is initiallytransmitted by the remote controller 20 a via the transmitting line ofthe remote transmission lines 1 a (S301), the data indicative of the“move first camera left” instruction is then received by the firstreceiving means 211 via the transmitting line of the remote transmissionlines 1 a before transmitting the data indicative of the “move firstcamera left” instruction via the intermediate line 3 (S302). The dataindicative of the “move first camera left” instruction is then receivedby the interface means 101 via the intermediate line 3 before the dataindicative of the “move first camera left” instruction is transmitted bythe first transmitting means 112 via the transmitting line of the localtransmission lines (S303). The data indicative of the “move first cameraleft” instruction is finally received by the targeted apparatus 30 viathe transmitting line of the local transmission lines before thetargeted apparatus 30 has the first camera 31 move to the left (S304).

Under the state above mentioned, the data indicative of an “alternativecamera” instruction to be performed by the targeted apparatus 30 isinitially transmitted by the local controller 20 b via the transmittingline of the local transmission line (indicative of the second line ofthe local transmission line) (S311), the second camera being thenselected by the targeted apparatus after receiving the data indicativeof the “alternative camera” instruction (S312). The data indicative ofan “alternative camera” instruction is then received by the secondreceiving means of the local communicating apparatus 10 b via thetransmission line of the local transmission lines (indicative of thesecond line of the local transmission lines) in the additional receptionstep (S313) before transmitting the data indicative of an “alternativecamera” instruction (S314). The data indicative of an “alternativecamera” instruction is received by the interface means of the remotecommunicating apparatus 10 a via the intermediate line before the dataindicative of an “alternative camera” instruction via the transmittingline of the remote transmission line (indicative of the first line ofthe remote transmission line) is transmitted by the second transmittingmeans in the additional transmission step (S315). The data indicative ofan “alternative camera” instruction is then received by the secondreceiving means of the remote communicating apparatus 20 a via thetransmitting line. From the foregoing description, it will be understoodthat the data indicative of an “alternative camera” instructiontransmitted by the local controller 10 b can be received and recognizedas the control signal of the local controller 10 b by the remotecontroller 10 a. This leads to the fact that the data, for example,indicative of a “zooming second camera” instruction is transmitted bythe remote controller 10 a to the targeted apparatus 30 via the remotecommunicating apparatus 10 a and local communicating apparatus 10 bbefore the data indicative of a “zooming second camera” instruction iscorrectively performed by the targeted apparatus 30 (S321, S322, S323,S324).

FIG. 5 shows a sequence diagram indicative of the process of theembodiment of the remote control system according to the presentinvention.

The following description will now be directed to the process of theremote control system according to the present invention with referenceto FIG. 5. The intruder, for example, is initially detected by thedetecting unit 32 before the “alarm” signal is outputted by thedetecting unit 32 to the targeted apparatus 30 (S401). The dataindicative of the “alarm” information is then transmitted by thetargeted apparatus 30 via the receiving line of the local transmissionlines, (S402). The data indicative of the “alarm” information is thenreceived by the local communicating apparatus 10 b via the receivingline of the local transmission lines before the data indicative of the“alarm” information is transmit by the interface means 101 of the localcommunicating apparatus 10 b via the intermediate line (S403). The dataindicative of the “alarm” information is then received by the interfacemeans 101 of the remote communicating apparatus 10 a via theintermediate line (S404) before the data indicative of the “alarm”information is then received by the remote controller 20 a.

Under the state above mentioned, the data indicative of the “alarm”information is initially received by the local controller 20 b via thereceiving line of the local transmission line (S405). The dataindicative of the “cancel alarm” instruction to be performed by thetargeted apparatus 30 is then transmitted by the local controller 20 bvia the receiving line of the local transmission line (indicative of thesecond line of the local transmission lines) (S411), the data indicativeof the “cancel alarm” instruction being then received by the targetedapparatus 30 via the transmitting line of the local transmission linesbefore the targeted apparatus 30 has survey unit 32 cancel the alarm.The data indicative of the “cancel alarm” instruction is then receivedby the second receiving means of the local communicating apparatus 20 bvia the transmitting line of the local transmission lines (indicative ofthe second line of the local transmission lines) (S413), the dataindicative of the “cancel alarm” instruction being then transmitted bythe interface means 101 of the local communicating apparatus 20 b viathe intermediate line (S414). The data indicative of the “cancel alarm”instruction is then received by the interface means 101 of the remotecommunicating apparatus 20 a via the intermediate line before the dataindicative of the “cancel alarm” instruction is then transmitted by thesecond transmitting means via the transmitting line of the remotetransmission lines (indicative of the first line of the remotetransmission lines) in the additional transmission step (S415). The dataindicative of the “cancel alarm” instruction is finally received by thesecond receiving means of the remote controller 20 a via thetransmitting line. From the foregoing description, it will be understoodthat the data indicative of the “cancel alarm ” instruction transmittedby the local controller 10 b can be received and recognized as thecontrol signal of the local controller 10 b by the remote controller 10a.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of the process of the remote control system shownin FIG. 2. The following description will now be directed to the processof the remote control system according to the present invention withreference to FIG. 6.

The data indicative of the “alternative camera” instruction (referred tosimply as “control data”) is initially transmitted by the localcontroller 10 b via the transmitting line before the control signal isreceived by the second receiving means 121 of the local communicatingapparatus 20 b via transmitting line (indicative of the second line ofthe local transmission line) in the additional reception-step (S501).The control data received by the second receiving means 121 is thenbuffered by the buffer memory 125 (S502). The control data buffered bythe buffer memory 125 is then transmitted by the interfacing circuit 101via the intermediate line (S503), wherein the control data includinginformation in which the control data is indicative of the additionaldata (i.e. the control data is received via the second line), thecontrol data being received by the remote controller 20 a.

The control data is then received by the interface means 101 of theremote communicating apparatus 10 a (S504) before the control data isrecognized by the interface means as the additional data. The controldata received by the interfacing circuit 101 is then buffered by thesecond buffer memory 126 (S505). The control data received by the firstreceiving means 111 via the transmitting line of the remote transmissionline is then detected by the first detecting means 113 (S506). (i.e. thecontrol data is detected.) Here, the detecting means 123 allow thecontrolling means 124 to control the first transmitting means 122 not totransmit the control data in the disable step (S507) after the judgmentis made by the detecting means 113 on whether as the control datareceived by the first receiving means 111 via the transmitting line ofthe remote transmission line is received by the first receiving means111. The detecting means 123, on the other hand, allow the controllingmeans 124 to control the first transmitting means 122 to transmit thecontrol data in the enable step (S508) after the judgment is made by thedetecting means 113 on whether as the control data received by the firstreceiving means 111 via the transmitting line of the remote transmissionline is not received by the first receiving means 111. The control datatransmitted by the local controller 20 b to the targeted apparatus 30 isreceived by the remote controller 20 a via transmitting line after thecontrol data is transmitted by the second transmitting means 122transmitting line in the additional transmission step (S509). From theabove detailed description, it will be understood that the dataindicative of the “alternative camera” instruction transmitted by thelocal controller 20 b can be received and recognized as the control databy the remote controller 20 a.

From the above detailed description of the embodiment of the remotecontrol system, it will be understood that the control data transmittedby the local controller to the targeted apparatus can be received by theremote controller due to the fact that the remote controller is adaptedto receive the control data transmitted by the remote communicatingapparatus via transmitting line after the control data transmitted bythe local controller to the targeted apparatus is received by the localcommunicating apparatus to have the local communicating apparatustransmit to the remote communicating apparatus via the intermediateline, this leading to the fact that the targeted apparatus is controlledby each of the controllers in remote areas.

Although the previously mentioned embodiment as shown in FIG. 1 has beendescribed with only one targeted apparatus connected to the localcommunicating apparatus via the local transmission lines, two targetedapparatuses may be respectively connected to the local communicatingapparatus and the remote communicating apparatus to allow each of thelocal communicating apparatus and the remote communicating apparatus tocontrol each of two targeted apparatus to achieve the advantage of theremote control system according to the present invention.

In the above embodiment, the remote communicating apparatus connected tothe remote controller is provided in only one remote area to allow theremote controller to control the targeted apparatus, however, there maybe a plurality of remote communicating apparatuses respectivelyconnected to the remote controllers respectively provided in pluralityof remote areas to allow each of the remote controllers to control thetargeted apparatus to achieve the advantage of the remote control systemaccording to the present invention.

While there has been described in the forgoing embodiment about the factthat the multiplexing/demultiplexing means forming one of the remote andlocal communicating apparatus is operative to extract the control datafrom the data transmitted additionally by the other of the remote andlocal communicating apparatus to transmit only control data via thetransmission lines, the control data received by one of the remote andlocal communicating apparatus may not be extracted by the multiplexingand demultiplexing means, but may be still remained in the datatransmitted by the other of the remote and local communicating apparatusto achieve the advantage of the remote control system according to thepresent invention. With the control data extracted by one of the remoteand local communicating apparatus, the control data may be transmittedto the other of the remote and local communicating apparatus to achievethe advantage of the remote control system according to the presentinvention.

As will be seen from the foregoing description, the communicatingapparatus and the remote control system according to the presentinvention can provide a communicating apparatus and a remote controlsystem which can allow the controller provided in each of the remoteareas to control the targeted apparatus.

1. Communicating apparatus to be provided between an intermediate lineand transmission lines to establish data communications, saidintermediate line and said transmission lines having in combination datapass therethrough, said transmission lines including first line andsecond line, comprising: first receiving means for receiving said datavia said first line; second receiving means for receiving said data viasaid second line; interface means for transmitting via said intermediateline said data received by said first receiving means via said firstline and said data received by said second receiving means via saidsecond line, and for receiving said data transmitted by an othercommunicating apparatus via said intermediate lines; first transmittingmeans for transmitting via said second line said data transmitted via afirst receiving means of said other communicating apparatus; firstdetecting means for detecting said data transmitted via said secondline; first controlling means for controlling said first transmittingmeans in such a manner that said first transmitting means is selectivelyswitched between under its operative state and under its inoperativestate based on said data detected by said first detecting means; secondtransmitting means for transmitting via said first line said datatransmitted via a second receiving means of said other communicatingapparatus; second detecting means for detecting said data transmittedvia said second line; and second controlling means for controlling saidsecond transmitting means in such a manner that said second transmittingmeans is selectively switching between under its operative state andunder its inoperative state of said second transmitting means based onsaid data detected by said second detecting means.
 2. A remote controlsystem for ensuring data communications via three different linesincluding remote transmission lines provided in a remote area, localtransmission lines provided in a local area, and intermediate lineprovided between said local area and said remote area, each of saidremote transmission lines and said local transmission lines includingfirst line and second line, said three different lines having incombination data pass therethrough, comprises: local communicatingapparatus provided between said intermediate line and said localtransmission lines, said local communicating apparatus being constitutedby a communicating apparatus described in claim 1; remote communicatingapparatus provided between said intermediate line and said remotetransmission lines, said remote communicating apparatus beingconstituted by a communicating apparatus described in claim 1; targetedapparatus connected to said local communicating apparatus via said localtransmissions lines; local controller for controlling said targetedapparatus, said local controller being connected to both said localcommunicating apparatus and said targeted apparatus via said localtransmissions lines; and remote controller for controlling said targetedapparatus, said remote controller being connected to said remotecommunicating apparatus via said remote transmissions lines; whereinsaid local controller having first receiving means for receiving saiddata via said first line of said local transmission lines, secondreceiving means for receiving said data via said second line of saidlocal transmission lines, transmitting means for transmitting said datavia said second line of said local transmission lines, detecting meansfor detecting said data transmitted via said second line, andcontrolling means for controlling said transmitting means in such amanner that said transmitting means is selectively switched betweenunder its operative state and under its inoperative state based on saiddata detected by said detecting means; and said remote controller havingfirst receiving means for receiving said data via said second line ofsaid remote transmission lines, second receiving means for receivingsaid data via said first line of said remote transmission lines,transmitting means for transmitting said data via said second line ofsaid remote transmission lines, detecting means for detecting said datatransmitted via said second line, and controlling means for controllingsaid first transmitting means in such a manner that said transmittingmeans is selectively switched between under its operative state andunder its inoperative state based on said data detected by saiddetecting means.
 3. A remote control system as set forth in claim 2, inwhich a plurality of remote communicating apparatuses, a plurality ofremote controllers, and a plurality of remote transmission lines isrespectively provided in a plurality of remote areas, each of saidremote controllers being operative to controlling said targetedapparatus 30 via said remote communicating apparatus in each of saidremote areas.